Because the mold for such an ambitious piece as this one would have been very costly, this urn was probably one of the most expensive pressed-glass articles of its time. It is decorated in a pattern called "magnet and grape" by collectors. The patent information on the spigot indicates that this piece was manufactured after 1869, although the pattern may date from around 1850. The design motif reflects Victorian delight in ornament appropriate to the object; here, a bunch of grapes for a wine urn.